Every mastering engineer knows that equalization of final complex mixes or orchestral recordings with stereo microphones is very critical and limited.

Any correction of a single instrument or vocal part influences other instruments and can negatively change their sound characteristics. This is because all classic equalizers change the phase of the fundamentals and their harmonics and the phase shift is frequency dependent.

The LinearPhase PEQ Orange does not shift the phase, it only boosts or cuts the amplitude in a given frequency range. Consequently you can apply much more boost without changing the sound character of your recording. Due to our proprietary low-noise filter design in the time domain, the distortions (THD+N) are extremely low ensuring crystal clear, neutral, and uncolored sound.

The LinearPhase PEQ Orange DirectX/VST PlugIn is unique in the world of audio components. Almost all parametric equalizers being used are implemented with filters that accomplish phase shift, e.g. the original signal is remixed with its phase-shifted version. Because the amount of the phase shift is frequency dependent some cancellation or amplification at certain desired frequencies takes place. It works, but with a major disadvantage - the different signal components are spread all over time, so that the time relationship between harmonics in the processed signal is heavily affected. The result is that a nice sharp bass drum becomes slurred and muddy and vocal tracks become strident or brittle. Algorithmix is proud to offer you a true remedy against difficult equalizing tasks, the LinearPhase PEQ Orange PlugIn, a linear-phase equalizer which can be handled exactly like its classic predecessors, but cannot be "heard".

The LinearPhase PEQ Orange successfully copes with sonic problems that cannot be solved with any classical equalizer without side effects. You can boost lower frequency regions by even 10dB without mud or slush and with no loss of transients at all. You can remove the sibilance from a vocal with a sharp notch without affecting the whole mix like occurs when using analog or IIR-based digital EQ.

LinearPhase PEQ Orange better preserve the time relationships of harmonics in the original waveform. This translates to smoother top end, sweeter and bigger midrange, and a clearer more distinct bottom end as compared with phase-shifted EQ. The resultant sound seems less processed, more like it occurred naturally in the air in front of the microphone. The mixes become clear and transparent, the instruments more defined and realistic.

The LinearPhase PEQ Orange works in the time domain. It sounds more analytical than its brother, the LinearPhase PEQ Red, and therefore is specially recommended for difficult mastering and re-mastering tasks on dense mixes. It performs flawlessly with up to 384 kHz sampling frequency and allows extended frequency setup up to 80 kHz, thus being ideally applicable for high-resolution DSD post-processing, including its ultrasonic region.

LP SplitComp is a creative dynamic tool with unparalleled transparency and sound purity combining the best of both the analog and digital worlds.

The split function allows dynamic processing only in the band of interest. Unlike many other split or multiband compressors the frequency crossover is made with low-noise linear-phase filters. They allow perfect band recombination after processing. The character of the PlugIn can be continuously adjusted between being more compressor or rather limiter. It provides a lot of psychoacoustically optimized features like automatic dynamic characteristics, soft knee, and parameterized soft clipper. To reduce the problem of alias frequencies being often a hidden problem in digital non-linear processors, a reference-quality oversampling has been implemented.

LP SplitComp is the second one in the new Algorithmix CHROMIUM SERIES, a set of reference mastering PlugIns. The current release is implemented as a stereo version, however it is intended to make it VST 3.0 compatible as soon as the major audio editing systems have switched to the new VST version. The compatibility to VST 3.0 will induce a multichannel version of the LP SplitComp.

Most fundamental but least understood
Dynamic processors, particularly compressors belong to the most fundamental tools in every recording, mixing or mastering studio. Despite the popularity and broadening of compressors they are probably the least understood and most misused processors in daily routine of the studio engineer. One reason might be that sonic changes of a good compressor are very subtle and hardly perceptible for an unexperienced listener. Another reason is the variety of parameters which differ from one unit to the other and even for the same parameter name exhibit a deviant behavior. The parameters are mostly interacting in some way and need a lot of experiments and understanding to learn how to use them in a purposeful manner.

A digitally implemented, well-designed mastering compressor has not necessarily less parameters, but they are precisely defined and de-coupled. In addition, due to novel, extraordinary possibilities of the digital signal processing, supported by psychoacoustic findings, digital compressors open a new quality window for mastering engineers.

Digital architecture with analog sound
The LP SplitComp arose from many years of experience of the Algorithmix audio algorithm architects, countless experiments, and critical sonic analysis of analog compressor legends. A serious, often unrecognized problem of nonlinear digital processors is a quite high amount of alias frequencies. They can ruin the best intentions spent for a good functionality. Therefore the audio path in our compressor has been equipped with a reference-quality oversampling to reduce unwanted alias frequencies.

Parallel Compressing
Parallel compressing is known already for many years. It is accomplished by mixing the compressed signal with the direct signal in a mixing console. In digital technology it is extremely important to provide an exact delay alignment in the direct channel to avoid any unwanted signal cancellation because of phase differences. Therefore we implemented a properly time-aligned direct signal path. The Selective mode the LP SplitComp provides a new unique derivative of parallel compression.

Split it!
Of course, the LP SplitComp can cut a good figure as a Full-Band compressor, but its true distinctiveness arises in the Split-Band mode. The signal is divided in two complementary parts: the first one is compressed and the second one is just passed through without dynamic changes. Due to the high-resolution linear-phase technology used for the implementation of the split filter, the reconstruction of the compressed and complementary band is performed completely without phase distortion contrary to some other split or multiband compressors. The concept of the LP SplitComp allow for very precise frequency-conscious dynamic processing. Especially if you need to "repair" specific spectral parts in dense mixes you will appreciate the surgical capabilities of this tool. Because of a noise-free design you can use this compressor repeatedly on the same material, each time concentrating on a particular dynamic task or problem.

Looking into the future
Because of using look-ahead delay in the signal path, the overs can be caught very precisely. Together with a respectively chosen attack time, numerous methods of transient treatment are possible. Using the Com/Lim feature you can make the processor more acting as a limiter or compressor. You can even use two instances of the LP SplitComp, the first one as a compressor and the second one as a limiter.

Side Chain
The side chain of the compressor includes a range of filters to make signal detection frequency dependent. The filters can be adjusted identical to the split filter bank to perfectly master frequency-selective tasks like de-essing or proximity effect removal. The static characteristic allows adjusting different grades of knee rounding (soft-knee) in order to make compression smoother, less obtrusive. A sophisticated release computer provides program-dependent reaction to any complex audio material.

A lot of helpful features
At the end of the signal path a soft clipper takes care that the output signal does not exceed the level adjusted in the Ceiling field. In addition it allows introducing some controlled distortions. To make the understanding and operation of the LP SplitComp as easy as possible we have implemented some additional features. The signal Monitoring is very comprehensive but yet intuitive. You can click on different nodes in the block diagram and thus listen to the relevant audio signals within the compressor architecture.
An additional feature, offered in a compressor only by Algorithmix, is the Differ function. It allows listening to the difference between input and output signal. So you can listen to the changes you've done to the signal in the PlugIn. This difference is possible solely because the whole path in the LP SplitComp is linear-phase.

You can also open a compact auxiliary Metering panel showing all level meters and indicators simultaneously and place it to any position of the screen.

You will love it
We believe, we have created a reference-quality compressor for mastering engineers that opens new ways in efficient, transparent and surgical dynamic processing. This compressor, however, is also intended as a creative tool for any other kind of computer audio processing in recording and mixing as well as in post-production, broadcast and TV studios.